June 1985

The day of Abigail's high school graduation dawned bright and sunny. Joanie's eyes scanned the crowd and found Jack, and she rushed to join him.

"Bless her heart," she said. "She's worked so hard for this."

"I know," Jack replied. "I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of her." Joanie could tell that something weighed heavily on his mind, but she didn't pry.

Jack nervously fingered the small box that was in his pants pocket. He hoped that when the opportunity came, his courage wouldn't fail him. Of course it was impossible to predict what Abigail's reaction would be, but he felt that he knew her well enough to feel assured that she would at the very least be kind, whatever her decision was.

Several announcements were made, and then 'Pomp and Circumstance' began to play as the graduates walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. Abigail received a standing ovation, which moved her to tears.

When the ceremony ended, Jack and Joanie both got in line to hug and congratulate Abigail. Beryl Foster was there, of course, and so were David, Ellen, and Matthew Holland. Matthew had brought Joanie's daughter Lisa with him. Tears of joy streamed down Abigail's face as she warmly embraced each of her family members.

"I knew you could do it!" Jack whispered in her ear when his turn came.

Beryl and Ellen both took many photos of Abigail holding her diploma, and then the whole family went out for dinner at a nice restaurant. After that, Jack took Abigail to the beach. He hadn't had the chance to be alone with her after the ceremony as he had hoped.

"I'm so proud of you, Abby," Jack said as they strolled along the beach hand in hand. "To have come through everything you have and then go back and finish high school is quite an accomplishment!"

"It's only what I should have done twenty years ago." Abigail smiled and shrugged.

"What happened to you wasn't your fault. No one thinks any less of you for it."

"I know." Abigail saw a pretty seashell and stopped to pick it up.

"So, what's next for you?" asked Jack.

"Next for me?"

"Well, do you want to go on to college?"

"I guess I always just assumed I would, but I feel like I'm too old now." Abigail sighed. Jack saw that there were tears in her eyes. He stopped walking and turned her around to face him.

"Listen to me, Abigail. You are not to old to go to college. I recently heard of a woman who just received her bachelor's degree, and do you know how old she was? Eighty-four!"

"That's nice." Abigail smiled.

"Listen, Abby, I'm not trying to pressure you," Jack continued. "Of course you don't have to go to college if you don't want to. It's just that I know that you're a very intelligent woman, and it would be a real shame if you didn't live up to your potential. Not that going to college is the only way you could accomplish that," he added quickly.

Abigail looked thoughtful. "I think I'd like to do something to help other people like me," she said softly. "You know, people who were in a coma for a long time and then came out of it."

"That's a wonderful idea, Abigail." Jack beamed. "I'm sure you'll find a way to do just that."

They walked along in silence for a little while, Abigail basking in the glow of her recent achievement, Jack struggling to find the nerve to ask her what he wanted so badly to.

"Hey, Abigail," he said finally. Boy, was this hard.

"Yes?" She looked at him curiously.

"Look, Abigail, I...I want to ask you something important. We've been seeing one another for a while now, and...well, I've come to realize that..." Jack dropped to one knee. "I love you very much, Abigail. Will you marry me?"

Abigail gasped with surprise, then looked delighted. "Oh, Jack! I'd love to marry you, but..."

"But what?" he asked softly.

"No one knows whether my recovery is permanent, Jack. What if I were to slip back into a coma and never awaken? It wouldn't be fair to you to be married to a vegetable."

"Oh, Abigail." Jack's voice was so soft that it was almost a whisper. "Nobody knows what the future holds. That's why we should live every day to the fullest. Listen, Abby, if we marry, and five years, two years, or even one year down the road, you do slip back into a coma, we would still have the memory of the precious time we did have together to treasure, and to me that would be worth it. On the other hand, if we let fear keep us from taking a chance, all we'll have to look back on is regrets."

"Oh, Jack." Abigail was crying softly, but there was a big grin on her face. "Since you put it that way, how could I ever say no?"

"So you will, then?"

"Yes, Jack. I will."

He took the ring from the box and placed it on her finger. Then he embraced her as if he would never let her go.